South Korean participants set to arrive at Mt. Kumgang ahead of family reunions
- 6 years ago
The reunion of separated families from the Korean War... is going to start soon.
It's the first such event in three years and the South Korean families are north of the border as we speak.
Roughly 90 South Koreans were selected from a pool of tens of thousands who applied.
Let's turn to our Oh Jung-hee, one of our reporters covering this event for us this week.
Jung-hee, we're sure to feel a wave of emotions this week as many meet their families for the first time.... but let's start with what's been happening today... and with the rest of the day's schedule....
Jiyoon.
It's the D-day for the reunions of families torn apart by the Korean War and today will certainly be a day full of joy and tears as the families meet for the first time after nearly 70 years of separation and zero contact at all.
Eighty-nine South Korean families are in North Korea right now.
Where I am right now is the Unification Observatory located in South Korea's northeastern city of Goseong and what you see behind me is basically as close as you can get to North Korea in the South.
Fourteen buses carrying the South Korean families passed through the inter-Korean transit office less than two hours ago.
According to the schedule, we are expecting the South Koreans to arrive at North Korea's Mount Kumgang in about 30 minutes.
Over 360 South Koreans are heading north -- among them, nearly 200 are South Korean family members -- the 89 participants plus one or two relatives for each.
The rest are support staff like medical teams and the members of the press.
This morning, I talked to a few of the participants, and they couldn't hide their emotions.
Some of them told me that they couldn't sleep well, thinking of meeting their families in the North... and others were already sad that this will be their last time to meet their families.
I could also see that they dressed up very smartly for their once-in-a-lifetime get-together.
So, the family reunions themselves will start in just under three hours.
From three o'clock to five o'clock Korea time, there will be a joint group reunion -- where we'll be able to see all the South and North Korean families gathered in one big room and sitting with their families.
And then, in the evening, they will have a welcoming dinner hosted by North Korea.
We're expected to receive footage of the reunions later in the evening.
It goes without saying that the sights and sounds will be highly emotional -- remember, these are people who were ripped apart from their sons, daughters and siblings.... meeting for the first time in nearly 70 years.
Ji-yoon.
It's the first such event in three years and the South Korean families are north of the border as we speak.
Roughly 90 South Koreans were selected from a pool of tens of thousands who applied.
Let's turn to our Oh Jung-hee, one of our reporters covering this event for us this week.
Jung-hee, we're sure to feel a wave of emotions this week as many meet their families for the first time.... but let's start with what's been happening today... and with the rest of the day's schedule....
Jiyoon.
It's the D-day for the reunions of families torn apart by the Korean War and today will certainly be a day full of joy and tears as the families meet for the first time after nearly 70 years of separation and zero contact at all.
Eighty-nine South Korean families are in North Korea right now.
Where I am right now is the Unification Observatory located in South Korea's northeastern city of Goseong and what you see behind me is basically as close as you can get to North Korea in the South.
Fourteen buses carrying the South Korean families passed through the inter-Korean transit office less than two hours ago.
According to the schedule, we are expecting the South Koreans to arrive at North Korea's Mount Kumgang in about 30 minutes.
Over 360 South Koreans are heading north -- among them, nearly 200 are South Korean family members -- the 89 participants plus one or two relatives for each.
The rest are support staff like medical teams and the members of the press.
This morning, I talked to a few of the participants, and they couldn't hide their emotions.
Some of them told me that they couldn't sleep well, thinking of meeting their families in the North... and others were already sad that this will be their last time to meet their families.
I could also see that they dressed up very smartly for their once-in-a-lifetime get-together.
So, the family reunions themselves will start in just under three hours.
From three o'clock to five o'clock Korea time, there will be a joint group reunion -- where we'll be able to see all the South and North Korean families gathered in one big room and sitting with their families.
And then, in the evening, they will have a welcoming dinner hosted by North Korea.
We're expected to receive footage of the reunions later in the evening.
It goes without saying that the sights and sounds will be highly emotional -- remember, these are people who were ripped apart from their sons, daughters and siblings.... meeting for the first time in nearly 70 years.
Ji-yoon.